Hail, HYDRA!
After the battle with the Avengers, Hilde has been captured by HYDRA. Zeke stages a rescue mission to rescue her, but may not make it back, at least, not the same... Plot A Rescue Mission Zeke orders his fellow agents to remain at their base, as he heads to consult with Minister Mortimer. He jumps in a military off-road vehicle and drives to 10 Downing Street in London. He drives down the Highway and eventually stares at the cloth with the HYDRA symbol on it. He arrives at 10 Downing Street, and enters Minister Mortimer's office. He sees Mortimer on the computer and asks what he's doing. Mortimer asks Zeke why he's there, and Zeke mentions that Hilde has been captured by HYDRA. He then gives Mortimer the cloth belonging to The Winter Soldier. Zeke asks Mortimer if he may go after HYDRA to save Hilde, and Mortimer refuses permission. Zeke 'complies' and leaves. As he leaves, he contacts Arthur and Eric and tell them to meet at his home. Oxton Residence, London Arthur and Eric arrive at Zeke's home, and Mrs. Windsor answers the door. Zeke tells Arthur and Eric that they're going to go against Mortimer's orders to stay away from HYDRA. Zeke welcomes Eric to the Union Fury, before mentioning that they have to pinpoint HYDRA's location first, before they make their move. Eric uses his laptop to pinpoint HYDRA to Castle Zemo, in Sokovia. Zeke asks why Baron Zemo would allow HYDRA to vacate his Castle, much less lead an abduction in England. The trio return to their bunker in Northern London, and Zeke orders the team to remain there, as he leads Guardian and Shrink to rescuing Hilde in Sokovia. Felipe asks what they're going to do about Dick, and Zeke tells Felipe and Fan to keep an eye on him. Zeke, Eric, and Arthur board the Quinjet, and fly away. Dick asks what Felipe meant by that, and Felipe stares at Dick. Castle Zemo, Sokovia Baron Zemo wakes up Hilde from her sleep. Hilde asks Zemo what Zemo wants, before going on to mention that what Zemo is doing is against the Peace Treaty. Heinrich tells Hilde that the Treaty only works on Sokovia, not HYDRA. Zemo then tells Hilde that she is going to be put through "Special Treatment". Arnim Zola enters the room, as Zemo explains that Zola is going to remove the Adhesive X from him, and place it on her, making her the first victim of Adhesive X. Arnim Zola picks up Hilde and places her in a tube. Ass Hilde yells in horror, Zemo enters the other testing tube. Red Skull orders Arnim Zola to begin the procedure. The trio arrive before the path that leads to Castle Zemo, before they are stopped by Col. Helmut Zemo. Helmut asks what brings them to Castle Zemo, and Zeke asks to speak to Baron Zemo, his father. Helmut tells Zeke that Baron Zemo is busy, and Zeke tells Helmut to step aside, or he will assault him. Helmut refuses, and Zeke tells Shrink to attack Helmut. As Zeke and Arthur run down the path to the Castle, Eric knocks out Helmut, then runs to catch up with the others. Both enter the Catwalks of Zemo's lab, where they find Hilde screaming in the Testing Tube. Zeke prepares to dive down, until Eric stops him, pointing out Red Skull and Arnim Zola. Zeke orders Shrink and Guardian to distract them, as he frees Hilde. Shrink suggests a better option. Zeke asks what it is, and Shrink simply shrinks down and disappears. Shrink runs up to Arnim Zola and enters his wiring systems, penetrating the armor. Shrink begins to rip out wires and re-route wires, causing Zola to go haywire. As Zola is left shocked, Red Skull orders him to figure out what is happening and stop it. Zeke orders Arthur to move in. Arthur then jumps down and lands on the floor. As Red Skull turns around, Guardian pushes him and Zola out of the lab, then locking himself and Zeke in. Zeke jumps down and approaches the tubes. He finds Baron Zemo in one of the tubes. He uses the control panel to stop the procedure and entomb Zemo in suspended animation. Zeke then breaks the other tube, freeing Hilde. Hilde wakes up, and kisses Zeke, thanking him for saving her. Zeke asks what Zemo wanted with her, and she mentions that they wanted to rid Zemo of the Adhesive X, and they thought she was the perfect specimen to be the next carrier. Arthur tells Zeke that they are stuck in there, as several HYDRA soldiers are trying to break in, and Shrink is all alone. Zeke spots Zemo's Adhesive X cannon, and orders Arthur to grab it. As the HYDRA soldiers prepare to break down the door to the lab, Arthur blasts the cannon, killing the HYDRA soldiers. The trio exit the room, and are reunited with Shrink. The Escape Red Skull orders his soldiers to close in on the heroes, and they run down the halls of Castle Zemo to kill them. Captain Legion, Guardian, Commando, and Shrink are apprehended by the HYDRA soldiers, but manage to fight their way through. They find a tunnel that leads out of Castle Zemo. Before they can leave, they are stopped by a HYDRA soldier named Josef, who jumps right in front of them. Zeke orders Shrink and Guardian to take Hilde and get the hell out of there. They comply, and run past Josef. As Josef prepares to shoot them, he is stopped by Zeke. Zeke asks Josef who he is, and Josef mentions that he is one of the many Winter Soldiers. Josef approaches Zeke, who simply grabs out his pistol and shoots Josef in the head, killing him. Zeke runs down the tunnel after the others. Red Skull orders the Defense Walls to activate, and a soldier does so. A Laser-Defense Wall activates, which severs Zeke's right arm off, and causes it to disintegrate. As Zeke recovers from the loss of his limb, he is attacked by the ORIGINAL WINTER SOLDIER... The others turn back to see Zeke facing the Winter Soldier alone, and Guardian orders Shrink and Commando to return to Base as he goes back to help Captain Legion. Eric complies, and drags Hilde with him, as Arthur runs back down the hall to Zeke's position. Arthur tries to pass the Defense Wall, but stops as he reaches the wall. Zeke tries to take on the Winter Soldier, but is eventually knocked unconscious. Arnim Zola orders the wall to open, and the soldier complies. The Wall deactivates, and Arthur leaps towards the Winter Soldier. Arthur advances and forces the Winter Soldier back. The Winter Soldier gains the upper hand and pushes Arthur back. The Wall reactivates, and the Winter Soldier eventually shoves Arthur's left arm into the defense wall, causing it to disintegrate. As Arthur yells in pain, the Winter Soldier knocks Arthur out, telling him that he didn't stand a chance against HYDRA's ace assassin. The Winter Soldier picks up both soldiers off the ground and walks down the tunnel back into Castle Zemo. He arrives in the lab, where Arnim Zola frees Baron Zemo. He slams both down on the floor, and Arnim Zola pauses on freeing Zemo, to thank the Winter Soldier for stopping the heroes. Arnim Zola then mentions that both heroes will make lovely Winter Soldiers. Helmut walks in the lab, and Red Skull orders him to contact their ally in London... Featured Characters * Reginald Mortimer * Mrs. Windsor * Zeus Oxton * The Union Fury ** Ezekiel-Amadeus Oxton/ Captain Legion ** Arthur Smith/ Guardian ** Eric O'Grady/ Shrink ** Hildegard von Zidlitz-Holmes/ The Commando ** Darren Muldoon/ Aerobolt ** Felipe Correia dos Santos/ Bullet Man ** Fan Gan Zhou/ Zanshi * HYDRA ** Johann Schmidt/ Red Skull ** Baron Heinrich Zemo ** Colonel Helmut Zemo ** Arnim Zola ** HYDRA Soldiers ** Winter Soldiers *** Josef *** Bucky Soundtrack TBE Notes * The Zemo's make their first appearance since The Nature of War Part 4: Dogfight over Novi Grad. (Not including "Le Siege de Paris: An Avengers' Tale").